Ukraine captured African Mercenaries fighting on Russian Side in War

On April 3 this year, the Ukrainian newspaper The Kyiv Independent reported that the country's armed forces had captured two Togolese mercenaries fighting alongside Russian soldiers.

Petro Yatsenko, spokesman for the Coordination Center for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, said the two individuals were in Ukrainian custody.

The West African state’s Foreign Ministry said on April 30 that the detainees had been tricked into leaving their home country after being promised scholarships by entities claiming to represent Russian institutions.

,,We will actively work with certain diplomatic partners to shed light on this situation and provide, as far as possible, the necessary assistance to the individuals concerned”, the ministry said in a statement, urging citizens to carefully check any scholarships received through official channels before making a decision to travel abroad, especially to Russia.

Despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claims that the Kremlin regime does not need foreign mercenaries in the war against Ukraine, leaked documents from Moscow’s military recruitment system show mass enlistment efforts. The main nationalities include Nepalese, Sri Lankans, Chinese and citizens of Central Asia.

South Korean intelligence also reported that about 600 North Korean soldiers were killed while fighting for Russia, mainly in the Kursk region, with troops sent under direct orders from Kim Jong-un. In return, Pyongyang reportedly received Russian support for its weapons programs, including drones and reconnaissance satellites.